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For this Session on Differentiated Instruction, I learned that there are 3 factors of differences in our learning, namely:

Readiness level - by differentiating for academic growth, working towards same outcome but with different degrees of difficulty. Assessing the students' readiness level by using a variety of instructional approaches. The difficulty of skills taught should be just above the individual comfort level.

Interest base - by differentiating to increase motivation to learn. Tap on their interests to nurture new interests.

Learning profile - by differentiating to increase efficiency of learning. Helping students to figure out a way to learn that works for them so that they are likely to learn efficiently.

It is about choosing the strategy that will work best for the learner at a given time. We can differentiate the content, process, product or environment according to the 3 factors mentioned.

Understanding the 9 types of adaptation helps us to better identify and support the learners' needs.

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework is designed to increase the flexibility in teaching and decrease the barriers of learning. This UDL framework intersects with the theory of Differentiated Instruction.

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DI states that students learn in different ways and at different paces. By adjusting our teaching methods, activities, and materials, we can ensure that every student has the opportunity to succeed. It also makes u ponder on important questions like why we need to differentiate and how to do it effectively.

Tomlinson's model focuses on addressing students' readiness, interests, and learning profiles. Key strategies will be ongoing assessments, flexible grouping, and creating a classroom environment that encourages growth and awards effort.

The CPPE model breaks down differentiation into four areas: what students learn, how they learn, how they show what they've learned, and the environment in which they learn. The presentation also touches on making adjustments to fit each student’s needs, whether through simple tweaks or more significant changes.

Similarly, the Universal Design for Learning (UDL), encourages a flexible approach that ensures students feel engaged and supported. Ultimately, the goal is to create a classroom where every student can succeed.

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Takeaways:

DI involves teachers to identify different learning needs of learners and design instruction differently

Tomlinson’s Model

Differentiate based on readiness , interest or learning profiles of learners to achieve growth and self efficacy. Instruction Differentiation can be done according to content, process,product or environment .

Combination of DI with UDL:

UDL provides multiples ways to engage and motivate learners through representation, actions and expressions: the What and How.

Implement DI in UDL framework requires teachers to be flexible and develop professionally to create positive learning experiences for learners

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Both UDL and the Retrofit Approach of differentiated instruction help in addressing the diverse needs of learners in our classrooms. I feel the difference between them is that Retrofit is more of a reactive approach because we start off with a standard lesson plan and make modifications along the way. Whereas UDL is a proactive approach as the modification options are already put in place when designing the lesson plan. Hence as the name suggests, UDL can be applied universally to all students in class, giving them the flexibility to choose what works best for them, while retrofit is more for a targeted group of students.

A ideal scenario will be designing a curriculum with the UDL framework, while being open to retrofit modifications for students with unique needs.

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My Takeaways

Retrofit Approach

According to Carol Tomlinson, students can differ in readiness (e.g., student’s readiness when given a specific set of learning goals), interests and learning profile (e.g., how we process information/think).

Differentiate for readiness (growth) – Differentiate and pitch student’s task according to their ZPD level. Brain research showed that the brain learns when tasks are moderately challenging. Teacher helps the students work towards the same outcome, but at different level of degrees, complexity, and kinds of scaffolding.

Differentiate for interest (motivation) – Student’s motivation to learn increases when they are interested in the topic.

Differentiate for learning profile (efficiency of learning) –  Teachers to help students figure out a way to learn that works for him/her.

Universal Design in Learning

UDL guides the design of learning experiences to proactively meet the need of ALL learners.

The learning environment can include barriers to learning (e.g., design of curricular goals, assessments, methods, and materials). UDL reduces these barriers to learning by enabling a learning environment where students are provided with intentional, flexible options to meet their learning goals.

UDL classrooms are flexible in the ways students access material, engage in learning (e.g., hands-on, computer station) and demonstrate what they know.

Change the POV from: “The student needs to change.” > “We change the learning environment.”

UDL Principle (Representation): Teachers provide information in more than one format, and in a variety of ways.

UDL Principle (Engagement): Teachers help students engage with learning by giving them choices and autonomy (e.g., free choice, seating options, choice on breaks), and by incorporating their interests.

UDL Principle (Action and Expression): Teachers allow students multiple ways to interact with the content and to show what they’ve learnt. For example, students express what they have learnt through the way they understand (e.g., writing a song, baking a cake to explain beginning/middle/end of a story).

Personally, I love how UDL allows students to take charge and be responsible of their own learning. As the teacher had explained, students will grow up and become adults, and they need to be in control of their lives. UDL provides students with a safe space to learn and make mistakes, and through that, they would grow and make progress. The teachers are in charge of setting-up the learning environment and takes on a supportive role, while students take charge of their learning. Through UDL, students are recognised as an individual, and everyone’s strengths and need are considered. UDL exphasizes “variability” instead of “disability.”

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Take aways:

The articles on Universal Design for Learning (UDL) have enhanced my understanding on the topic which are helpful in mitigating possible causes for SEN students when learning in their classroom.
I find that UDL able to give teachers the necessary strategies and plan ahead adequate resources to help all students in the classroom with diverse learning needs. It serves the general population in the classroom however I feel that it would benefit the SEN students the most. Additionally, UDL approach empower teachers to do a profiling of students prior to teaching the class, mainly understanding the students' learning needs, type of learner, temperament and domain of special needs.
Hence embracing UDL may generally help the students in the following areas:
- Provision of materials varies in accordance with the class needs and students have easy access and choices to it.
- Lesson modes and deliverables are planned ahead to cater to diverse students' learning needs.
- Engagement of students are favorable as the goal of the activities meet the students' interests and needs.
- Arrangement of resources and seating are purposely planned ahead by the teacher.

I have learnt that both Differentiated Instructions (DI) and Universal Design for Learning (UDL) helps teacher to make adaptation to cater to students' specific needs. I find that there are some similarities in both approaches:
- Teachers need to find time to get to know the students more in-depth
- Teachers give choices to students through provision of multi-level activities
- Partnership with families are essential to form uniform support both in school and at home
- Materials for lesson and activities are carefully planned ahead to support students learning needs.

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Today, I had an AHA moment while learning and reflecting about Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and on our lecture on Differentiated Instruction (DI).

Reflecting on UDL and DI together has deepened my understanding of how to create inclusive and flexible learning environments that meet the diverse needs of all students.

Both approaches aim to ensure that students can engage with content in ways that work best for them, whether through multiple means of representation, action, expression, or engagement (as in UDL) or through tailored instruction based on individual assessments and needs (as in DI).

Both frameworks emphasize the importance of creating inclusive and flexible learning environments, but differentiated instruction provided more insight into the "why" and "how" behind tailoring lessons to individual student needs.

I learned that DI involves using pre- and post-assessments, flexible groupings, and offering students choices, all while maintaining a positive and respectful classroom environment.

The focus on providing challenging yet accessible tasks for all students, using technology, and fostering autonomy struck me as essential strategies for motivating and engaging learners.

I was particularly inspired by the practical examples shared, such as using simple techniques like "thumbs up" and a 1-5 rating scale to help students assess their own learning. This fosters self-awareness and empowers students to take ownership of their learning process.

Additionally, offering students choices gives them a sense of autonomy, which enhances motivation and engagement.

Reflecting on this, I can see how UDL and DI overlap, especially when it comes to ensuring that every student has the chance to succeed. The nine types of adaptations I learned about—adjusting input and output, size, time, level of support, difficulty, participation, goals, and curriculum—provide a comprehensive guide for differentiating lessons. These strategies are crucial to remember as a SEN officer.

Moving forward, I’ll strive to integrate these approaches into my teaching to better support my students, ensuring they all feel included, capable, and motivated in the classroom. 😊

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From the last 2 sessions, I have learnt:

-what to differentiate(content, process, product) based on student’s readiness, interest and learner profile.

-how to differentiate (9 types of adaptations to curriculum and instruction)

-our main stakeholder is our student. We need to know our students first and plan our lessons around them to

-Universal Design for Learning

·   3 principles of UDL: engagement, representation, action and expression.

·   Teacher to provide flexible options for students to interact with the content and showcase what they have learnt. By doing so, students can take charge of their learning and teacher is able to meet the needs of the diverse learners. Teacher should focus on learning objectives, variability and barrier in the design of the environment.

Not all student do the same thing at the same time during the lesson.

·   As for online UDL lesson, we need to do explicit teaching of the online learning platform and various tools that we want students to use, pace our lesson and plan short breaks in between. During the lesson itself, we should offer different choices such as listen to podcast, watch a video or read an article, breakout rooms for discussion etc

·   It may not be easy to carry out UDL in the beginning so it will be good to start with a few strategies and be consistent in implementing them. In addition, get feedback from students after the lesson to find out if there is a need to redesign future lessons.

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After Session 9 and reviewing Session 10 online, I realised that Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and Differentiated Instruction (DI) are similar in their aim but differ in how they are applied.

Both approaches seek to promote inclusive teaching by addressing the diverse needs of students, ensuring that every learner has the opportunity to succeed in the classroom.

However, the way they are implemented is quite different.

UDL focuses on proactively designing a curriculum and learning environment that is accessible to all learners from the beginning. It emphasises creating flexible learning opportunities that can accommodate a wide range of student needs and preferences, offering multiple ways to engage, represent, and act and express understanding.

In contrast, DI recognises that students have different abilities, interests, and learning profiles. It involves actively responding to these differences by adjusting the curriculum, teaching methods, resources, activities, and assessments to meet the specific needs of individual students or small groups.

Additionally, while UDL prioritises flexibility and anticipates diverse needs in advance, DI focuses more on personalising instruction and making ongoing adaptations based on assessment and observation.

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From Session 9 and 10, I learnt that both Differentiated Instructions (DI) and Universal Design for Learning (UDL) recognize that every learner is different and aim to reach the same goal by using different ways to approach teaching.

However, DI seems to be more suitable to be implemented for a single student or a small group of students who have problems with accessing/adjusting to the mainstream work and curriculum. The educator can tweak the resources/curriculum/the presentation so that this group of students can benefit, thus reaching the same goals as the majority of the students.

On the other hand, UDL appears to change the entire teaching structure and teaching environment so that it address most, if not all, of the students' differences so that everyone can reach the same goals in their own pace and own style.

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I have gained insight on Differentiated Instruction(DI). It is a teaching approach that tailor to meet the individual students' needs. Teacher will modify the content, process, and products based on student readiness, interest and learning process. The goal is to ensure all students can access the curriculum effectively, regardless of their abilities or learning styles.

Whereas, Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is where Teacher design lessons that are helpful for all students from the start rather than adapting lessons for individual students. It focuses on engagement, representation and action that involves all students with different abilities.

Both approaches are essential in fostering inclusive education and ensuring that all students have equal opportunities to succeed.

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I have learned that differentiation is about recognizing student variability and modifying teaching methods and resources to maximize learning opportunities for all students. Learning efficiency is improved when different readiness levels and interests are accommodated. the use of technology by catering to different readiness levels and pacing, promoting independence. Retrofit approach is to ensure that struggling learners can access the standard curriculum, necessary adaptations must be made. UDL provides multiple ways for learners to engage, represent, act, and express themselves to create accessible learning environments. I believe students can be taught in flexible learning environments that cater to their individual needs while promoting inclusivity and a growth mindset.

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In a nutshell, Universal Design for Learning and Differentiated Instruction strive to modify the learning environment of the child to better suit their learning abilities and needs by reducing barriers and increasing access.

Assessment should be done first to assess the current skill level of the student. Afterwards, DI can be used by modifying the curriculum to fit the needs of the student; this can look like flexible groupings and choices, differentiated tasks while still being respectful of the student (the tasks given should not make the student stand out or humiliate them), using technology to incorporate visual aids or others, and focus on building and maintaining a positive learning environment. DI includes modifying the input, output, size, time, difficulty, level of support, degree of participation, goals and curriculum of each student and their work. The retrofit method is useful in quickly and surgically identifying mismatches between the student and their modes of learning.

UDL can look like giving some students hands-on work while other students do more written work - basically allowing students to learn via multiple ways. The important thing with UDL is that teachers are to be flexible in their teaching styles. This can look like giving students choices and autonomy over their learning. Ultimately, UDL serves all learners as it is a model based on social justice and a strategy that works for a student who needs more help may end up helping the entire class as well. Explicit teaching is necessary when using UDL, as it is with many other strategies of teaching.

DI seems to serve to fit each student personally while UDL can serve just one student or all students through a single strategy, making both DI and UDL very effective in boosting learning and accessibility to learning.

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From the sessions on Differentiated Instruction (DI) and Universal Design for Learning (UDL), I can conclude that both approaches are aimed to reduce barriers and increase access to create success for the diverse learners. However the approaches vary in its audience and objectives despite having potentially the same outcome.

UDL is a design that benefits everyone, whether its designs appears solely for diverse learners. In the example of ramps, it appears that it is catered for persons on wheelchair, also with the impression that it will be used heavily by them. However, ramps are also used by persons who have issues with stairs, families with strollers, trolleys for everyone's supermarket trips etc. It is a design that is considered ahead of time, a design which almost seemed like it is purpose-built but one that have many other uses for everyone, to allow users to achieve the same outcome.

Its 3 principles to incorporate in teaching is also seen in the way our course is conducted here in NIE, through multiple means of engagement, multiple means of representation and multiple means of action and expression to demonstrate our knowledge and assessment.

These principles addresses our concerns as learners while offering us choices and autonomy of our assignments and group work, has varied modes of lessons through our face to face, zoom lessons as well as our self-directed lessons. We are also allowed to demonstrate our learning in our own creative ways, with provision of consultation. Our lessons were also presented in all the different forms of tech.

Meanwhile, DI is guided based on the teacher's understanding of the individual student's needs. And this differentiation is through these 3 characteristics such as the student's readiness, their interest and their learning profile.

In this approach, teachers differentiate their content; how students access them, their process and their product.

These principles is also aligned with UDL's principles of multiple engagement, representation and expression.

Ultimately, these approaches are not one size fits all. These approaches are audience and needs sensitive. It is about what your classroom needs. In my opinion, UDL is how learning should take place and how classrooms should be designed. DI is additional tool to further support the needs of our diverse learners.

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Understanding the concepts of Universal Design for Learning and Differentiated Instruction is important for supporting students with diverse needs.

For UDL is designed to accommodate different learners despite of their levels of ability and offer various ways to engaged students by considering their interest. It also encourages student autonomy by offering choices in learning method.

For DI, it is adjusting the difficulty level based on the student's prerequisite skills and readiness and it talks about incorporating student's interests to make learning more engaging and relevant to them.

Both frameworks aim to provide an accessible education for all while UDL eliminate the barriers, DI modifies instruction for specific learners. This is something that we can adopt as SENOs when we are having one to one intervention with the child.

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DI

why differentiate?

students can learn at their own pace, learning style that suits them

making learning accessible

elements:

content

process

product

learning environment

student factors:

readiness, interest, learning profile

how to differentiate?

pre/ongoing assessment

flexible grouping/ choices

respectful tasks

technology

positive learning environment

9 ways - adapt curriculum & instruction

input

output

size

time

difficulty

level of support

modified goals

degree of participation

substitute curriculum

Retrofit approach

identify mismatches

UDL

similarly to DI, it is also about having flexibility in teaching, accessibility and reducing barriers

provide multiple ways for students to:

engage

express their learning

and provide multiple ways of presenting the information to student

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Aha moment: UDL

Eric Crouch the 5th grade teacher said that he prefers to be seen like a gym coach who sets up the various types of exercises in the room and students can come in and take control of what they wish to do RATHER than to instruct or demonstrate on what he wants his students to do. Therefore, this gives students the flexibility to choose which exercises they should be doing if they want to achieve a certain goal in mind. What I liked about the video is that he was very practical by saying that one day these students will have to take charge of their lives and UDL gives them a starting point to do so.

UDL:

In UDL it is more of a proactive method where Teachers provide information in more than 1 format, in a variety of ways. So teachers help students engage with learning by giving them choices and autonomy as well as incorporating their interest. It is based on 3 main principles which are engagement, representation and action & expression.

DI:

For DI, its more of a reactive strategy that modifies instructions, lessons, curriculum and resources to cater to the various abilities and learning needs of a class. The modification for these depends on 3 factors which are the readiness, interests and profile of a student.

I feel that UDL will be slightly more challenging to implement as compared to DI because UDL seems to require more comprehensive planning and a lot more resources and logistics and also caters to a bigger audience. But nevertheless, I feel both strategies can be used for the benefit of our students learning.

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DI

I have a more in-depth understanding of DI, breaking down it down into two areas.

1. Elements - Content, Process, Product, Environment

2. Learner Factor - Readiness Level, Interests, Learning Profile

With that deeper knowledge of DI, I can effectively customise my future lessons for my students

UDL

A new things I learnt, it is very similar to DI just that it derives from another angle.

1. Engagement - Different ways to deliver the lesson either via individual or group settings, face to face or online, or even going future to let students choose which topic to learn.

2. Representation - Multiple type of materials available to offer visual, text or audio informations that provides instructions, examples and rubrics. Teacher can also record a lesson to allow student to view at their own time.

3. Expression - Allow students multiple ways to present their work, having feedback and revision opportunities and increase number of low-stake assignments.

After learning about UDL, now I have one more options when it comes to differentiating my teaching.

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Takeaway from the lecture on Differentiated Instructions (DI)

Readiness - differentiate for academic growth

Interest - increase motivation to learn

Learning profile - increase efficiency of learning by using variety of means to present information.

The short group activity in identifying the type of adaptation gave me an insight that the adaptation can be more than 1 for different kind of activities. With this, I will need to consider the strategies to be implemented in the student's learning effectively.

Based on the article on Universal Design for Learning (UDL), we will need to assume that the environment factor is the barrier instead of the student and it leverages on the power of technologies for student to be "expert learners".

I have also learnt that in UDL environment, students do not have to accomplish task at the same time and uses various ways to complete it.

Teachers may provide multiple means of engagement, representation, action and expression. Lastly, reassure parents that UDL is one of the best way to allow students to set their own learning goals and teachers will always have high expectations of the goals.

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From lectures 9 and 10, I have learned more about the 2 approaches - Differentiated Instruction (DI) and Universal Design for learning (UDL). They are similar in their aim to meet diverse learning needs but differ in their implementation.

DI

It focuses on customising learning approaches and materials to the individual needs of the students.

Personally, I really like Cole's adaptation for curriculum and resources is a useful tool in guiding educators on the different elements that can be differentiated.

UDL

It believes that the barriers to learning lie in the environment rather than the student themselves. Therefore, it makes sure that all learners can access and engage in learning. No 2 forms of UDL are the same! Setting goals and making sure that all students are aware of it is an important component of UDL. It was very insightful to watch how Eric Couch, 5th Grade teacher share about his experiences in implementing UDL in his classroom and how he thinks he would have thrived better as a student if UDL was set in place back then.

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In lessons 9 & 10, we have discussed Differentiated Instruction (DI) and Universal Design for Learning (UDL) to establish inclusive learning environments that meet the needs and capabilities of various learners in classroom context.

DI adapts teaching strategies and resources to each student's individual learning needs, with varying profiles, interests, and readiness levels. DI gives students access to learning in ways that best fit their learning styles. For example, a teacher providing different reading materials according to the reading proficiency of the students.

However UDL, aims to eliminate barriers in the environmental factors and ensure learning is accessible to all students from the beginning. UDL proactively designs materials and activities that are flexible and adaptive to various learners. For example, providing audio options or closed captions in lesson videos, to cater to learners who may be auditory or visual learners.

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Differentiated Instruction has deepened my understanding of how to address student variability in the classroom.

I have learned about key frameworks, Tomlinson's model which focuses on readiness, interest and learning profile. Additionally, the CPPE model provides a comprehensive approach to what we can differentiate. The video showed by Dr Liz during tutorial illustrated how these concepts can be applied effectively.

Moving forward, I am excited to implement some of these principles during my sessions as a SENO and prioritising a positive learning environment that supports differentiation.

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Differentiated instruction tailors teaching to individual students. Teachers assess needs, then adjust content, process, or products accordingly. A struggling reader might receive simplified texts, while an advanced student tackles complex materials. It's reactive, modifying existing lessons for diverse learners.

UDL, on the other hand, designs a flexible curriculum from the beginning. It provides multiple means of engagement, representation, and action for all students. A UDL classroom might offer text, audio, and visual content simultaneously. Students choose how to demonstrate knowledge—perhaps through writing, speaking, or creating. UDL anticipates diversity, eliminating barriers before they arise.

Both aim to improve learning, but UDL's proactive, universal approach contrasts with differentiated instruction's targeted adjustments.

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I really like that UDL attempts to solve problems in the environment rather than finding problems within the child. With this mindset, it allows for educators to be flexible and provide accommodations for the various needs to ensure that all students have access to learning. Moreover, the structure for lesson planning allows educators and SENOs to truly analyse the goals for the student and to design strategies to help them achieve their desired outcomes.

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Universal Design for Learning

- assumption: barriers to learning are in the design of learning environment

- We can always choose to provide information in other formats other than print. For example, we can look at the strengths and learning profile of the SEN student and represent information in visually or via a multi sensory approach.

- Another way suggested to engage the student is by asking guiding questions so that the student understands what is expected. This enables autonomy in the student. However this may not work for students who require more explicit information or are already resistant towards work due to understanding difficulties.

- As long as they can display that they understand the concept and gist, we do not have to stick to a “standard” or “model” answer.

As schools begin to do more HBL, UDL can be incorporated into online lessons as well. Having online lessons may be quite complex for some students, as we are not able to guide students as closely as we want to. We can explicitly teach the students how to access the online platforms, and make sure lesson tasks and materials are clear. During online lessons, we can still employ UDL by giving choices on interaction such as choosing to read or watch videos about the topic (even though I’m sure most will choose the latter). After the lesson, as students are the key participants, we can also get feedback on how to modify the lesson so that we can best suit their needs.

Differentiated Instructions

- to make the curriculum accessible

- consider student variability (readiness level, interests and learning profile)

- differentiate: content, process, product and learning environment

- HOW: input, output, size, time, difficulty, level of support, degree of participation, modified goals and substitute curriculum

Retrofit approach

- does not change curriculum

- always check with the teacher for the substitute

- finding mismatches between student’s profile and academic demands allow us to identify the gap and better support the student

- opposite of UDL

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Session 9:

There are 3 ways we can differentiate, based on readiness, interest and learning profile. When we differentiate for readiness, students can be working towards the same outcomes but experience different task difficulty level or may receive more scaffolding. When we differentiate based on interest, we do so to increase student motivation to learn by providing choices. Finally, we differentiate by learning profile e.g. learning style to increase efficiency of learning.

We watched a video on the 5 principles of differentiated instruction and I especially appreciated the one on flexible groups & choices where students assigned themselves to 1 of 3 groups: those that need to be retaught, those that need practice, those that need to be challenged. This felt like an application of ZPD where the teacher could assess where her students were in terms of their learning and where they could learn independently or where they needed guidance. Furthermore, by giving students a choice, they could choose a level which was comfortable for them, taking away the anxiety and pressure of taking on more than they can handle. This strategy also helps create opportunities for success for students and build their confidence.

Session 10:

There are 3 principles that define the universal design of learning: engagement, representation, action and expression. Similar to session 9, what stood out to me in session 10 was an engagement strategy: giving students the opportunity to provide their input on how class activities are designed. For example, students can choose if they wanted on-campus or online discussions. Their feedback on how they see activities relating to attaining course learning outcomes can also be collected. Giving students a more active role allows them to experience agency and take ownership of their own learning. By seeing the bigger picture of how activities relate to learning outcomes, they can work towards these goals and appreciate activities in class better.

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My AHA moment:

I was introduced to the 9 types of adaptation to curriculum & instruction by Cole et al., 2000.

1. Input

2. Size

3. Time

4. Level of support

5. difficulty

6. Output

7. Degree of participation

8. Alternate Modified Goals

9. Substitute Curriculum

It's helpful to have these options for planning a lesson. Seeing the rise in PWDs, I think mainstream teachers should be trained too so that students can feel more supported.

SDL: Universal Design Learning

UDL is a framework for teachers to look into lesson planning by removing barriers in learning. It focuses on these 3 points:

1. Engagement in the why of learning

2. Representation and the what of learning

3. Action and expression and the how of learning

Likewise, I enjoyed the segment where they shared strategies before, during, and after an online class that we can use during HBL.

In one sentence, UDL is to be proactive in planning for accessibility and variability.

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Key takeaways:

Differentiated instructions:

I learnt about the retrofit approach. By thinking retrospectively and the mismatches between the student and class/lesson, we will be able to prevent pitfalls before the lesson actually takes place.

Universal Design for Learning:

I learnt to think from the perspective of reducing barriers to allow my students to access what is being taught and prevent them from disengaging even before reaching the final goal of the lesson.

Both methods are new to me as I am used to planning for lessons in a linear way from the objective to the materials needed and to the execution. Both methods are good as they analyse the different reasons why and how the student disengages from the lesson instead of merely putting the blame on the student as being "lazy" or "naughty". Effective solutions can then be thought of to tackle the misfits and barriers.

For both models to be successful, it depends on the adaptability and flexibility of the educator to make instructions fluid and customise it for the students, instead of relying on a rigid, one-size -fits-all method. The educator must also be a reflective educator who is willing to reflect and adjust her teaching methods to suit the needs of the student.

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Through four interwoven elements, content (what students learn), process (how they learn), product (how they show learning), and learning environment (the physical or psychological atmosphere), differentiated instruction (DI) tailors teaching to fit the varied requirements of students. Teachers are guided in changing these components depending on learner variables including readiness, interest, and learning profiles by the CPPE (Content, Process, Product, and Environmental) model. Offering several ways to learn, flexible grouping, continuous assessment, and options to include students at different levels of ability are among the principles of differentiation.

Often requiring changes to curriculum or environment after issues are found, the Retrofit Approach is making tweaks to current teaching strategies to fit different students. On the other hand, Universal Design for Learning ( UDL) is a proactive approach that creates from the start easily available and efficient learning environments for every student. UDL emphasizes including many means of interaction, representation, and action/expression to match different learning styles and needs, hence reducing the need for future retrofits.

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Differentiated instructions can be categorised into 3 factors, based on the students interest, learning profile and according to their readiness level.

The learning resources and curriculum can be catered to the needs of the students. .

To engage the learners we can also plan the lesson based on the interest of the student.

UDL is a framework that promotes inclusivity and remove barrier, making learning more effective.

There are 3 principle of engagement that the teacher can provide in class.

Engagement- can make the lesson interesting to motivate the students

Representation - how we can present our lesson by using range of formats to present the lesson

Action and expression - ways on how to teachers can access their learning.

As SENO, I can use some of the ways from DI or UDL to prepare my lesson. Both of have good ways to help students engage in their learning.

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Both DI and UDL are education approaches that aims to meet the needs of learners, but they have different implementation strategies. For DI, the focuses is on the needs of the individual (Customised to the student’s needs) while for UDL, it is flexible and adapted for ALL learners.

Key Takeaway of Differentiated Instruction (DI)

Differentiated Instruction is an approach that modifies teaching strategies, materials and assessment to meet the different needs of the students. This helps create different methods where a student is able to access the learning regardless of their abilities.

Differentiated Instruction helps promote equity amongst students as each student receives support that are appropriate for their level.

Key Takeaway for Universal Design for Learning (UDL)

It helps to anticipate and plan for ALL possible learners.

The UDL approaches changes the learning environment rather than shaping the student to learn in a specific way.

In UDL, there are 3 principals that helps shape the lesson: Engagement, Representation and Action& Expression

In Engagement, the teacher asks themself how to provide engagement to all students will promoting autonomy. By providing multiple means of engagement, it helps to stimulate student’s interests and this helps in engaging them to the lesson materials.

In Representation, how can the information be presented in a way that is able to reach all learners? It’s very flexible where as students get to choose what would work most efficiently for them by themselves. Teachers can provide different representation in different modes in terms of visual, auditory or even kinaesthetic to allow better representation. This makes learning accessible to all students.

In Action and Expression, this helps student in expressing their learning in different ways that would help strengthen their learning as well. For example, students are able to steer away from just paper-pen format in terms of expressing their understanding but maybe using graphics instead. By having the teacher provide different sorts of outlets for students to express their understanding, it helps to promote better retention of information as well.

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In Sessions 9 and 10, we learned about Differentiated Instruction (DI) and Universal Design for Learning (UDL). Both approaches focus on creating an educational framework that is accessible to all students.

Differentiated Instruction (DI) focuses on adapting teaching methods to meet the needs of individual students. This is essential because classrooms are filled with diverse learners with different abilities, interests, learning styles, and needs. By differentiating instruction, teachers can create an inclusive and more effective learning environment through scaffolding, which involves breaking down tasks and instructions to make them more manageable. Personalized learning motivates students, making them more likely to take ownership of their learning and stay engaged. Advanced students can also take on more complex tasks to remain challenged. Overall, DI helps students build confidence and cultivate a growth mindset.

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) focuses on ensuring accessibility in learning, regardless of students' learning styles, abilities, or backgrounds. The goal of UDL is to help students become expert learners who understand their own learning preferences. This approach promotes inclusivity by removing barriers from the start, designing lessons around students’ needs rather than expecting students to adapt to the lesson. UDL allows students the flexibility to choose how they learn best, which promotes independence, engagement, and motivation.

Overall, both UDL and DI are frameworks that address the diverse learning needs in the classroom. While UDL is curriculum-driven, creating a flexible learning environment from the start, DI is teacher-driven, focusing on adjusting instruction based on student needs. Despite these differences, both frameworks empower students by making learning more accessible and tailored to their individual needs.

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UDL is a proactive approach that focuses on removing learning barriers by providing multiple ways for students to engage and choose how they access information and demonstrate their understanding. On the other hand, DI is a responsive approach that adapts instructional strategies and tools to student needs, i.e., individual students' readiness, interests, and learning profiles.

While UDL focuses on designing inclusive learning experiences from the start, DI emphasises adapting teaching methods in response to student needs. Both frameworks aim to enhance student engagement and foster greater success.

Reflecting on my learning on UDL and DI, I’ve gained valuable insights into the importance of flexibility and inclusivity in education to foster an equitable learning experience for all. Both frameworks prioritise inclusivity by acknowledging and embracing the diverse needs of each learner, creating a supportive environment essential for engagement. Recognising individual learning styles and preferences makes the learners feel valued and motivated. It fosters a sense of agency and independence, empowering them to take charge and actively participate in their learning.

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Takeaways

Session 9: Differentiated Instruction (DI)

Differentiation is applicable even with one student.

Differentiation can occur across four domains: content, process, product, and learning environment.

Flexible grouping and offering choices as a differentiation strategy promote student self-awareness and foster autonomy in learning.

The 9 types of curricular and instructional adaptations provide a comprehensive guide to what we can differentiate for our students.

Session 10: Universal Design for Learning (UDL)

UDL assume that barriers to learning are in the design of the environment rather than students' deficits

3 UDL principles: Engagement (“why” of learning), Representation (“what” of learning), Action and Expression (“how” of learning)

Engagement strategies: diverse ways for students to interact with the content, peers and teacher

Representation strategies: multiple formats for presenting content

Action and Expression strategies: diverse ways for students to demonstrate understanding of content

Goal-setting should distinguish between means (how students must demonstrate understanding) and content (what students need to know)

Prior to online lessons, explicit instruction on the technology used is necessary.

Comparison between Retrofit Approach and UDL

Retrofit Approach and Universal Design for Learning (UDL) are both frameworks that make learning accessible for students.

UDL is proactive while retrofit approach is reactive. UDL anticipates student variability during lesson planning, removing barriers to learning before implementation. In contrast, the retrofit approach modifies existing/prescribed curriculum to address the mismatches between student facts and classroom/lesson facts identified after implementation.

UDL can accommodate a wide range of needs simultaneously by offering flexible options for many students. The retrofit approach, in contrast, responds to identified needs of specific students, providing individualised accommodations or modifications.

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When reflecting on DI and UDL, I got reminded of the image of 3 students of different heights watching a sporting match from behind a wooden fence. DI would be the image showing the students standing on different heights of boxes catered to their heights, while UDL would be changing the wooden fence to a net instead, so that everyone would be able to watch the match without even needing to stand on boxes.

After learning about the three different strategies of DI, retrofit approach and UDL, I feel that UDL and DI are more proactive approaches to ensure effective learning for everyone of different needs and abilities, while the retrofit approach seems more of a reactive approach. In our roles as SENOs in the schools, we need to be familiar with both types of approaches as it is not possible to always have a teacher that is willing to apply DI or UDL in the classrooms, or if they are willing to do so, they may not know how exactly to do so and what can be changed to cater to the student's needs.

I personally feel that UDL would benefit students who are weaker than their peers as it is something that caters to all students and gives students the freedom of choice. For students who are more cognisant or aware of their abilities (or lack of it), DI may cause them to be more conscious of their differences.

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Differentiated learning and retrofit approach is about knowing the needs of the student and planning the instruction with the end in mind.

Universal Design learning is about removing restrictions and make learning accessible to all.

This reminds me of something that we learnt in another course. What is convenient to everyone is independence for those with needs. By adopting UDL we do not make the lessons exclusive to one group of learners. Instead it makes the lessons accessible to more learners and possibly makes it easier to understand or more engaging for all.

UDL and DI complement each other when applied together. By adopting the universal design in learning the lesson will be made accessible to everyone. This is like the broad strokes whereas differentiated learning is the finer strokes that tailor the lessons to match learners needs.

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During the session 9, I have learned about Differentiated Instruction (DI) and read more about in the article for Universal Design for learning (UDL) for session 10.

For DI, it's about recognizing that students are different and adjusting the curriculum, teaching methods, resources, and activities to meet their diverse needs, ensuring each student can learn effectively whereas UDL aims to accommodate the diverse needs of all students and designed learning experiences from the ground up to be accessible and effective for everyone, regardless of their learning style, abilities, or background.

The group activity during the session also allows me to learn to identify the type of adaptation in the different scenarios and provides me a deeper understanding.

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There is need to have differentiated instructions due to different

1.       readiness (current proximity to specified knowledge, understanding, and skills),

2.       interests (help students engage with new information, understanding, and skills by making connections with things they already find appealing, intriguing, relevant, and worthwhile), and

3.       learning profile (a preference for taking in, exploring, or expressing content through gender, culture, learning style and intelligence preference).

Having DI enable students to learn productively and this is achievable by changing curriculum, teaching methods and through content, process, product and learning environment.

Content: methods that students use to access key content,

Process: creating sense-making activities that help students “own” the content

Product: ways for students to “demonstrate what they have come to know, understand, and be able to do after an extended period of learning”

Learning environment: modifying the learning environment to meet student emotional needs. Planning such aspects of instruction as respectful tasks and flexible grouping.

9 types of adaptations can be taken into considerations:

Input (how instructions are given),

Size (amount of work expected to accomplish),

Time allocated,

Level of support from teachers or peers,

Difficulty level,

Output (how learners demonstrate understanding),

Degree of participation,

Modified goal (adapt goals or outcome using same material),

Substitute curriculum.

Retrofit approach is responding to a lack of student progress by using preexisting curriculum and strategies and considering slight differentiation of instruction. It is a reactive rather than a proactive approach. Retrofit approach tries to find a resolution after curriculum is planned and students are not experiencing success; it forces learners to fit into the existing program and is often seen as a first step to meeting the needs of a learner who is not reaching her full potential for success.

UDL UDL embraces all learners by gathering facts and designing instruction based on requirements and interests is based on three core principles: Engagement, representation, and action/expression.

Engagement: encourages teachers to seek ways to motivate their students and sustain their interests.

Representation: presenting information in more than one format.

Action/Expression: encourages students to interact with the lesson and demonstrate what they have learned.

Benefits of UDL include:

UDL makes learning more accessible, even in general education classrooms as it creates more flexible classroom experiences. This is especially critical given that even students with learning disabilities may spend most of their time in general education classrooms, not specialized spaces.

UDL reduces stigma. By accommodating a wide range of learning styles within the same classroom, UDL helps eliminate the sense that certain learning styles are privileged or require special attention.

UDL adapts the content to the learner. One of the great values of UDL is that it adapts the material to the learner, rather than asking the learner to adapt to the material.

UDL plays to students’ strengths. By furnishing a range of opportunities for students to interact with the material, UDL allows students to play to their strengths.

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Takeaways:

I learnt that UDL and DI have similar objectives and beliefs although they are not the same. Together, UDL and DI create a comprehensive approach to support diverse learners.

Universal Design for Learning (UDL):

UDL provides a structure for eliminating barriers to learning and better support diverse learners. In UDL, the focus is to design lesson plans, methods, and assessments that are accessible and engaging for diverse learners because learners differ in preferences, strengths, and challenges that vary based on the given content. Thus, teachers can consider the 3 principles within the UDL approach when planning a lesson, daily routine, or activity for their students.

The 3 principles are:

1. Engagement - the why of learning

2. Representation - the what of learning

3. Action and expression - the how of learning

Differentiated Instruction (DI):

According to Tomlinson, DI focuses on tailoring instruction to meet individual student needs. It calls for teachers to be flexible and adjust the curriculum and information delivery to students, rather than expecting students to modify themselves for the curriculum.

In DI, students take an active role in their learning. Teachers are required to acknowledge and support individual differences as students progress from beginner to proficient skills mastery.

In a nutshell, I learnt that by combining UDL and DI, teachers can create inclusive, engaging, and effective learning environments for students with SEN.

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My Takeaways:

Differentiated Instructions (DI)

I learnt that DI is an approach that aims to meet students' diverse learning needs by modifying instructions based on their abilities, interests, and learning styles. This modification can be made in four elements (i.e., content, process, product, and affect/learning environment).

Firstly, teachers can modify the Content of what is being taught to the student. Next, modifications can be made to the Process of how the students learn. For example, creating sense-making activities can help the students understand the meaning of the content. Teachers can also modify the Product, which is a way for students to demonstrate what they have learnt and understood. Lastly, teachers can differentiate the student’s Affect/learning environment. This means that we can modify the learning environment to meet the student’s emotional needs. For example, if we know that a student strives on acknowledgment and attention, then the teacher can tailor the type of praise that is given to the student to encourage them.

Overall, the goal of DI is to ensure that all students can access the curriculum at their own level, whether they need additional support or more challenging tasks. Hence, teacher’s must adjust their instructions and provide personalise learning in response to the student’s level and needs.

Universal Design for Learning (UDL)

UDL is a teaching framework that aims to make learning accessible to all students by designing lessons and materials that accommodate a wide range of abilities and learning preferences from the start. UDL focuses on eliminating barriers to learning by providing flexible options in 3 key areas; Engagement, Representation and Action and Expression.

1.       Engagement: to provide different ways to engage students that would motivate and involve them. For example, incorporate elements of student’s interests into the lessons or providing choice menus for working towards certain goals in class.

2.       Representation: to provide different formats of presenting information to the student in order to meet their needs. For example, simply by adjusting the font sizes of the text for students so that students with low vision will be able to see the content better.

3.       Action and Expression: to provide various ways for students to demonstrate what they have learned. For example, allowing student to demonstrate what they have learnt in a form of a poster presentation instead of only through a written assessment.

The goal of UDL is to create an inclusive learning environment (from the beginning) that benefits all students without needing later modifications.

Differences between DI and UDL

All in all, the main difference between DI and UDL that I have learnt is that UDL aims to eliminate barriers before they arise by designing the environment at the beginning to meet the needs of all learners, while DI aims to adjust instructions as challenges and barriers emerge.

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Differentiated Instruction is based on modification of 4 elements. They are content, process, product and affect/learning environment.

It is guided by the teacher's understanding of student needs of students' readiness, interests, and learning profile.

I understand that it is important to note that content should be the same for all, different only on methods students can use to access information.

I have also noted that readiness is different from ability and the goal of readiness is to make the work a little too difficult for students at a given point in their growth and then to provide the support they need to succeed at the new level of challenge.

For UDL (Universal Design for Learning), I understand the emphasis is on variability instead of disability.

It describes human variability based on the parts of the brain that manage the "why"(affective network), the "what" (recognition network), and the "how" strategic network) and we can use the three UDL principles of design: 1) provide multiple means of engagement, 2) provide multiple means of representation, and 3) provide multiple means of action and expression when we are planning a lesson, daily routine, or activity for our students.

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Through differentiated instructions (DI), I learnt the importance of how to make accommodations and adaptations in order to provide all learners to get access to the curriculum.

Through UDL, it also focuses on the same idea where all students with diverse needs are supported in the classroom.

The similarities between both framework is that ample planning is required in order to ensure all barriers are taken into consideration before learning takes place. By doing so, we can ensure that students are able to achieve success in the learning outcomes.

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Every student learns differently and as educators its our mission to adapt and cater to different learning styles. Although it is challenging, taking time to plan or do a DI is a fundamental aspects of effective teaching. We need to do DI due to different learning profiles, readiness and interest. In a FEL classroom for example, attempting to transfer a given information paragraph to fill up a registration form filling might be easy for a student without learning needs but for a student with learning needs and at the same time have two diagnoses, dyslexia and MID will find it very challenging. Rather than getting the student to copy down the answers from the blackboard and feeling not motivated, having a teacher adapting and doing a DI for the student will be a better option.

On the other hand, UDL embraces all learners and the benefits of UDL includes making learning more accessible, adapts the content to the learner and UDL allows students to play to their strengths.

I feel that as a SEN Officer it is crucial for us to be familiar with DI and UDL and use this approach during our withdrawal with the students under our radar. It will be good if we can collaborate with the subject teachers as to which aspect of the component item of the EL paper for example that we can do a DI or UDL so that the student will be able to taste success and be motivated to learn.

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The following are my takeaways from Session 9 & 10:

Carol Tomlinson's approach to Differentiated Instructions

Carol Tomlinson's approach to differentiated instruction emphasizes the importance of tailoring teaching to meet the diverse needs of students. She believes in designing respectful tasks that challenge all learners, utilizing flexible grouping strategies to foster collaboration, and utilizing ongoing assessments to understand student readiness and interests. Additionally, she highlights the creation of a supportive learning environment where students feel safe to express themselves. Differentiation can occur in the content, process, and products of learning, ensuring that each student has the opportunity to succeed in a way that suits their unique learning profile.

Universal Design for Learning

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a framework aimed at enhancing teaching and learning by accommodating the diverse needs of all students. It emphasizes three key principles: providing multiple ways of engagement to motivate learners, offering various ways to represent information to address different learning styles, and allowing multiple means of action and expression for students to demonstrate their understanding. By incorporating flexibility and choice into the learning environment, UDL seeks to remove barriers and create inclusive educational experiences that support every learner's success, regardless of their background or abilities.

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I learned that for differentiated instruction (DI), I will need to tailor my instructions and approach to accommodate the different needs of students with different readiness levels, interests, and learning profiles to boost learning. The elements that we could make changes to are:  content, process, product, and environment

There are 9 types of adaptation to curriculum & instruction: input, output, size, time, difficulty, and level of support to relate to the 4 elements. The remaining 3 types are substitute curriculum, modified goals, and degree of participation that will be adjusted specifically according to the more significant needs of the student.

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a framework that enhances teaching and learning. Lesson planning with UDL will help design lessons that cater to the different range of students in the classroom. It focuses on goals, variability, and barriers in the design of the environment. It helps to eliminate barriers and make learning available for everyone.

DI and UDL work well together because both frameworks focus on the different needs of different students. The 2 frameworks help to improve the ease of access to learning and cater to the different learner styles.

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DI (Differentiated Instruction) revolves around adapting the lesson and curriculum to cater to each student's strengths and needs. The 5 guiding principles allows us as SENOs purposefully plan interactions and resources to better support the student in their learning.

The CPPE model encourages educators to

[Content]

adapt what students learn by providing materials based on their interests.

[Process]

Adjust how they engage with that material through varied instructional strategies, by allowing multiple means of demonstrating understanding

[Product & Envt]

Create a supportive classroom atmosphere that caters to diverse learning needs.

UDL (Universal Design for Learning)

Multiple means of engagement:

Incorporate students interests into lessons

Provide choices for students

Multiple means of representation

Use visual aids (charts, diagrams)

Use technology (audiobooks, text to read)

Multiple means of action and expression

Allow students to demonstrate understanding through different formats, such as written reports, presentations, videos, or creative projects.

Incorporate opportunities for students to reflect on their learning through journals, where they can write, draw, or use multimedia to express their thoughts.

Similarities:

Both UDL and DI focuses on individual student's needs and strengths, instead of implementing a one-for-all lesson for students. In addition, both frameworks encourage flexibity in teaching methods- Tailor lesson delivery that's best suited for the student